Latest news with #JohnKolb
Hamilton Spectator
13-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
$3.8M reconstruction of Simcoe, Raglan streets begins in Angus
ESSA TWP. — For many Canadians, the Victoria Day long weekend signals the beginning of summer. For many Canadian municipalities, the day after the long weekend signals the beginning of construction season. If you live in Essa Township, you can expect to see construction crews replacing bridge culverts, building parks and repairing and rebuilding roads throughout the summer. The largest project — the $3.8-million reconstruction of Simcoe Street and Raglan Street in Angus — kicked off Monday and is expected to be mostly complete by November, with surface asphalt works to be completed in the summer of 2026. The reconstruction includes Simcoe Street between the west dead end and the east dead end, and Raglan Street from King Street to Simcoe Street as well as some ditch work on Water Street. The project was awarded to Arnott Construction. 'The Simcoe Street and Raglan Street reconstruction is considered a high-priority project due to safety and storm management concerns,' John Kolb, the township's manager of public works, said in his report to council. 'As part of the township's transportation master plan and infrastructure improvement, this project will transition the corridor to an urban standard, supporting both vehicular and pedestrian use while improving safety and drainage.' According to Kolb's report, the project will include: 'The urbanization of Simcoe Street and Raglan Street will deliver significant long-term benefits to the community, including safer pedestrian access, better drainage, and improved traffic management,' Kolb said. According to the report, the total projected cost is $4,069,692. This map shows the section of road that will be under construction. | Graphic supplied The approved budget for the Simcoe Street urbanization was $4,469,722, resulting in a surplus of $400,029.20. Residents can review the township's notice of construction here . While most people don't spend a great deal of time thinking about bridge culverts, they are an important part of the township's infrastructure. According to a report prepared by Kolb, six bridge culverts — located on 9th Line (2), 5th Sideroad, 10th Line, 6th Line and 8th Line — have been in service for more than 90 years and have reached the end of their useful life. Based on the last inspection, significant deterioration and safety concerns mean they require full replacement. The contract to replace the bridge culverts was awarded to South Shore Contracting for slightly more than $3.5 million. According to Kolb's report, the total projected cost is $3,735,495. The approved budget for the culvert replacement was $4.25 million, resulting in a surplus of $514,504. Township council authorized staff to use the surplus from the bridge culvert construction project to fund emergency repairs on the 5th Sideroad, Scotch Line and 10th Line. The cost will range from $400,000 to $550,000. As previously announced, the township is working on two skate park projects, the Angus Skate Park relocation and the modular pump tracks installation and the Thornton pump tracks installation, both of which they expect to have completed sometime in July. Canadian Ramp Company, the only company to bid on the contract, provided the township with a bid of $459,999 — $331,616 for the Angus component and $128,383 for the Thornton component. In its 2025 budget, the township allocated $620,000 for the projects, which results in a surplus of about $160,000, assuming there are no changes. Those savings will be allocated to other capital projects. In addition to the skate parks, Essa has awarded a contract worth $123,852 to Sport Court Ontario to supply and install a mini rink and concrete pad at the Brownley Meadows Park. The project, which had an approved budget of $130,000, resulting in a surplus of $6,148. The Brownley Meadows Park project is expected to be completed by the end of July.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chairmen appointed to new committee that focuses on Wyoming's billion-dollar gambling industry
CHEYENNE — Wyoming's billion-dollar gambling industry will be the sole focus of a new select committee created by legislative leadership this year, given the 'heavy lift' of the complex issue. 'The issue is, there's no home committee for gaming,' said Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, one of the co-chairmen for the new Select Committee on Gaming. 'It's been kind of the unwanted child, getting passed from committee to committee.' Last year, the Legislature's Joint Appropriations Committee took the first stab at investigating gambling in Wyoming. The JAC created a special working group devoted to exploring this topic and paid for a statewide comprehensive study of the gambling industry. By the end of the interim, five committee-sponsored bills related to gambling were filed for the 2025 legislative session. One of these bills focused on allowing local governments to have a say in approving historic horse racing machines, and another would have allowed national betting on Wyoming live horse races. However, a majority of these bills failed at the beginning of the session, and none made it to the finish line. This year, the Management Council created the new select committee that will be entirely dedicated to studying gambling issues in Wyoming. There are six members on the committee, three from the House of Representatives and three from the Senate. No meetings have been scheduled yet, however. Rep. Jayme Lien, R-Casper, and Kolb are the co-chairpersons of the committee. Kolb told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle he'd like to focus on local governmental control to issue gambling licenses and unifying revenue from the gaming industry to make it more equitable. 'There's a lot of issues with how the formulations have been constructed over the years, for lack of a better word, how this activity's been taxed,' Kolb said. 'It's certainly not uniform across the board, with different types of gaming activities.' He elaborated that gambling revenue is 'complex' and 'not some one-size-fits-all situation.' The gaming-related bill that made it farthest through the legislative session was House Bill 85, 'Local approval for simulcasting.' This bill would have given city and town governments the authority to approve or deny simulcast permits, a power that is currently reserved at the county level. HB 85 made it all the way through the House before dying in the Senate president's drawer. Before the creation of the new committee was announced earlier this month at a Management Council meeting, the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources listed gambling and lottery issues as one of its priorities for the interim. Both chairmen told the WTE the committee will likely focus on lottery issues during the interim, but will hand over gambling to the new select committee. Co-chair Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, said the committee will review the modernization of the lottery and look at safety and security for retailers. Co-chair Rep. Andrew Byron, R-Jackson, said he appreciated that there's a new select committee to take on the heavy lift of gambling issues, especially after legislative leadership reduced the number of committee meeting days from six to four this interim. Byron hosted an educational meeting at 6 o'clock one morning during the session and invited lawmakers to attend to learbn more about the gambling industry. The meeting was led by Wyoming Gaming Commission Executive Director Nick Larramendy. 'If anything, it made me realize that … it needs its own standing committee,' Byron said. 'It's become such a huge industry. … It's the Wild West right now as it relates to what's happening in Wyoming.'
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chairmen appointed to new committee that focuses on Wyoming's billion-dollar gaming industry
CHEYENNE — Wyoming's billion-dollar gambling industry will be the sole focus of a new select committee created by legislative leadership this year, given the 'heavy lift' of the complex issue. 'The issue is, there's no home committee for gaming,' said Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, one of the co-chairmen for the new Select Committee on Gaming. 'It's been kind of the unwanted child, getting passed from committee to committee.' Last year, the Legislature's Joint Appropriations Committee took the first stab at investigating gambling in Wyoming. The JAC created a special working group devoted to exploring this topic and paid for a statewide comprehensive study of the gambling industry. By the end of the interim, five committee-sponsored bills related to gambling were filed for the 2025 legislative session. One of these bills focused on allowing local governments to have a say in approving historic horse racing machines, and another would have allowed national betting on Wyoming live horse races. However, a majority of these bills failed at the beginning of the session, and none made it to the finish line. This year, the Management Council created the new select committee that will be entirely dedicated to studying gambling issues in Wyoming. There are six members on the committee, three from the House of Representatives and three from the Senate. No meetings have been scheduled yet, however. Rep. Jayme Lien, R-Casper, and Kolb are the co-chairpersons of the committee. Kolb told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle he'd like to focus on local governmental control to issue gambling licenses and unifying revenue from the gaming industry to make it more equitable. 'There's a lot of issues with how the formulations have been constructed over the years, for lack of a better word, how this activity's been taxed,' Kolb said. 'It's certainly not uniform across the board, with different types of gaming activities.' He elaborated that gambling revenue is 'complex' and 'not some one-size-fits-all situation.' The gaming-related bill that made it farthest through the legislative session was House Bill 85, 'Local approval for simulcasting.' This bill would have given city and town governments the authority to approve or deny simulcast permits, a power that is currently reserved at the county level. HB 85 made it all the way through the House before dying in the Senate president's drawer. Before the creation of the new committee was announced earlier this month at a Management Council meeting, the Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources listed gambling and lottery issues as one of its priorities for the interim. Both chairmen told the WTE the committee will likely focus on lottery issues during the interim, but will hand over gambling to the new select committee. Co-chair Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, said the committee will review the modernization of the lottery and look at safety and security for retailers. Co-chair Rep. Andrew Byron, R-Jackson, said he appreciated that there's a new select committee to take on the heavy lift of gambling issues, especially after legislative leadership reduced the number of committee meeting days from six to four this interim. Byron hosted an educational meeting at 6 o'clock one morning during the session and invited lawmakers to attend to learbn more about the gambling industry. The meeting was led by Wyoming Gaming Commission Executive Director Nick Larramendy. 'If anything, it made me realize that … it needs its own standing committee,' Byron said. 'It's become such a huge industry. … It's the Wild West right now as it relates to what's happening in Wyoming.'
